Transportation and display package and method



Dec. 13, 19:32.- A D, w, DRUMMQND 1,890,771

TRANSPORTATION AND DISPLAY PACKAGE AND METHOD Filed Jan. 29. 1951 IN V ENTO R Donald W D um/n 0nd.

BYhis A' Q QM? Patented Dec. 13, i932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DUNALDWATGHOBN DBUMMOND, OF NEW ROCHELLE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO SOLID @AEBUNICCOMPANY, LTD OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE rmsronrarronAND DISPLAY raoxaen AND METHOD Application filed January 29, 1931.Serial No. 512,064.

This invention relates to a novel transportation and display package andthe method involved in refrigerating, transporting and displayingperishable food products.

One of the objects of this invention is the provision of a novelassociation of elements including a sealed package enclosing arefrigerating medium and perishable products in heat exchange relation.

A further object of. this invention is the provision of heat conductingmeans between the perishable products and the refrigerating medium. 1

Another object of this invention is to provide a transportation packageof the above nature so constructed that it can be used as refrigerateddisplay package when it reaches its destination.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a structureof this type em playing solid carbon dioxide as a refrigerating agentwhich also supplies gas container to eliminate the air therefrom,

Another and important object of this invention is the provision of theabove elements thermally associated for heat exchange under control atthe proper rate so that the food products may or may not be frozen.

These and many other objects as will appear from the followingdisclosure are secured by means of thisinvention.

This invention resides substantially inthe combination, construction,arrangement, relative location of parts and the methods involved as willappear from the following:

Referring to the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the container with the cover open,modified, in that the upper insulating wall has been replaced by a sheetof glass.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

The general object of this invention is to provide a transportationpackage for use in the shipment of perishable products which arerefrigerated therein to the proper degree depending upon the nature ofthe perishable products and which may be employed as a refrigerateddisplay case when it reaches its destination.

In general, the invention involves a heat insulating container which intransit is sealed invention is solid carbon dioxide. Associated with theinner container in heat exchange relation is a metal conducting stripwhich extends externally of the inner container and upon which rests ametal receptacle for the perishable products. Fitting snugly within theouter conta ner and over all of these parts is a heat insulating wallwhich, when the outer container is closed, lies fully within it.

The invention may be applied in refrigcrating any desired perishableproducts such as meat, fish, fruits, ice cream, liquids and the like. v

This invention has been found to be particularly useful in connectionwith the transportation to distant points of fish and meat such asfillets.

One of the important objects of the invention involves the relationshipof the perishable products and the refrigerant to permit a control heatexchange so that the perishable at 1, a suitable container or cartonhaving four integral'flaps 2. This carton may be made as disclosed ofcorrugated paper or fiher to provide a heat insulating wall. It is ofcourse apparent, that the size and shape I of and materials used in theconstruction of the container are not important so ldng as the desiredstrength and heat insulating qualities are secured. To further increaseheat insulation, if desired, several layers of heat insulating material3 may be employed to line the interior of the container. WVithin theouter container is a small container or receptacle comprising the twoparts 1 and 6 which gelescope together to provide a closed cham- At 7 isa metal strip which extends down into the lower half 4: of thereceptacle at the ends thereof and extends across the bottom as shown.The two upper ends of this strip extend above the top of the receptaclealong the ends thereof and terminate in the flanges 8. At 17 isrepresented the refrigerating agent which may be solid carbon dioxidewhich is prevented'from resting directly on the metal strip 7 by meansof a sheet of heat insulating material 5. If the refrigerating agent wasdirectly in contact with the metal strip, heat would be absorbed fromthe refrigerating products so rapidly as to carry them far below thedesired temperature. However, it is apparent, that in cases where it isdesired to carry the temperature of the perishable products to, or belowzero, this sheet 5 may be omitted. At 9 is a metal container forperishable products comprising two half sections of substantially thesame form. This container or pan 9 fits snugly within the outercontainer and rests upon the flange 8 of the metal strip 7. There hasbeen indicated at 10, the perishable food products within this panwhich, in this case, may be fish fillets for example. The pan 9 restsupon the inner container as shown and is covered over by means of asheet or plate 11, suitable heat insulating material which just fitswithin the outer container. The flaps 2 are then folded over as in theusual practice and the container sealed in any known manner.

The parts are so proportioned that they all fit within the outercontainer snugly to insure that they maintain the proper relation duringtransit. When the package reaches its destination, the flaps 2 areopened, the sheet of insulating material 11 removed and the other halfof pan 9 taken off. A plate of glass 12 may be put in the position whlchthe member 11 occupies in transit, thereby providing a refrigerateddisplay cabinet.

The temperature of the perishable products within the thin metalcontainer 9 is influenced by the quantity of solid carbon dioxide 17which is placed within the inner container and by the area of contact asindicated at 20 between the flanges 8 and the metal pans 9.

The temperature is likewise influenced by the quantity of perishableproducts within the pan. A very important point is that the area ofcontact between the flanges 8 and the metal pan 9 must be such that thetransfer of heat from the perishable products to a point where it willdo work in vaporizingthe solid carbon dioxide will be at a rate whichwill maintain the perishable products within a desired temperature rangeunder normal conditions encountered in transit. The particulartemperature at which the products are to be held will depend upon thenature of the products and in the case of fish fillets, a temperature ofabout 38 F. is satisfactory. The generation of gas as the solid carbondioxide absorbs heat from the perishable products results in anaccumulation of carbon dioxide gas within the container graduallyeliminatin the air therefrom. This is desirable since lecomposition isless liable to set in in an atmosphere of carbon dioxide gas.

It is often desirable in refrigerating some forms of food products tomaintain them at a temperature above freezing and below a temperature atwhich decomposition occurs; for example, if fish fillets are maintainedat 38 F. decomposition is arrested. It will be seen, therefore, that therateof heat transfer from the perishable products to the refrigeratingmedium, depending upon the area of contact between the metal pan and theflanges 8, is important and may be controlled both during transit andduring the time of display by means of this invention.

It is obvious that the carbon dioxide as it is evolved within theshipping container gradually displaces the. air therein and then escapestherefrom by normal leakage, since thehtcasing is, of course, notabsolutely air This invention therefore resides in certain principles ofconstruction, operation and use, which may be embodied in other physicalforms than that given for purposes of illustration, and I do nottherefore desire to be strictly limited to this disclosure but rather tothe scope of the appended claims.

What I seek to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A transportation package of the type described comprising asubstantially air tight, heat insulating casing, an inner receptaclewithin said casing, a body of refrigerating material within saidreceptacle, 2. metal encased package of perishable food products withinsaid casin and heat con ducting means between said package and saidrefrigerant, proportioned to have a predetermined heat conductingcapacity.

2. In a refrigerating and shipping package, the combination comprising asubstantially closed heat insulating casing, an inner receptacle withinsaid casing, solld carbon dioxide within the inner receptacle, a heatconducting casing for perishable products within said first mentionedcasing and insulated from direct contact with the solid carbon dioxideand heat conducting means for conducting the heat from the heatconducting casing to solid carbon dioxide at a predetermined rate.

- 3. In a refrigerating and shipping package, the combination comprisinga substantially closed heat insulating casing, an inner receptaclewithin said casing, solid carbon dioxide within the inner receptacle, aheat conducting casing for perishable products within said firstmentioned'casing and insulated from direct contact with the solid carbondioxide, and a metal strip in contact with the heat conducting containerand in heat egchange relation with the solid carbon diox- 1 e. a

4. In a refrigerating and shipping package, the combination comprising asubstantially closed heat insulating casing, an inner rece tacle withinsaid casing, solid carbon dioxlde within the inner receptacle, a heatconducting casing for perishable products within said first mentionedcasing, insulated from direct contact with the solid carbon dioxide, anda metal strip in contact with the heat conducting container and in heatexchange relation with the solid carbon dioxide, the area of contactbetween the heat conducting container and the metal stri being such thatthe rate of heat exchange wi cause the perishable products to bemaintained at approximately the desired temperature.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my handwon this 28th day ofJanuary A. D., 1931.

' DONALD WATCHORN DRUIIOND.

